Category: Health

We have all heard about the drama that has followed The American Health Care Act but let’s get some things clear:

The new health care bill would reduce deficits by $119 billion compared to Obamacare

The new health care bill will leave 23 million Americans uninsured

Eliminates most of ObamaCare’s taxes on those with higher incomes, employers, and industry

In a time where most news is biased, most politicians are phony, and most colleagues are clueless, it is important to get the straight forward facts.

For clarification; Obamacare and the ACA (Affordable Care Act) are the same. The American Health Care Act, Trumpcare, and Ryancare are the same.

While The American Health Care Act also does many controversial things, including defunding Planned Parenthood and taking large amounts of cost assistance away from Seniors who haven’t reached Medicare age, I would like to just focus on that magic number–23 million.

There are 321.4 million people in America.

After Obamacare was passed in 2010, the national rate of uninsured people fell from 13.3 percent to 10.4 percent with 8.8 million people gaining health insurance.

With Obamacare, you are required to have health insurance or you will be fined.

With The American Health Care Act, 23 million Americans will be uninsured.

This will surpass the 13.3 percent of uninsured Americans back in 2010 by about one percent.

Look, these are just cold hard facts and numbers written in plain English.

As of right now, through Obamacare, I am able to be on my parent’s insurance plan until I am 26 years old. This allows me six years to get stabilized and give me a head start on my student loans. Removing the right of extended health care within the family until 26 would mean individuals who are 19 or out of school cannot be covered under their parents’ or guardians’ health plan until age 26.

Luckily, Trump seems to favor this law. So far, we have not heard word of how it will be changed. “I very much like this health right,” Trump told the Wall Street Journal.

I cannot stress the importance of millennials staying in the know and learning the facts. This is all happening in the immediate future. We are the future.

So, you’re probably reading this because something has happened in your life (recently) that has changed your life forever.

You failed your entry test for your program, you lost a loved one, you are going through a breakup, depression/anxiety has hit you like a ton of bricks, or that certain something is keeping you awake at night… you have a traumatic situation you are facing–head on.
But remember, you are not alone and you are a warrior.

I struggled with this for a long time after I lost my mom. I swear I could almost feel this world stop rotating and I was willing to let it do just that. I definitely did not feel like a warrior; shit, I hardly felt like a human being.

To this extent, I had never felt anything like this but when I tried to explain it to people, I would relate it to a bad breakup. That feeling you get in your chest, how a person feels literally engraved in you DNA and your brain. You let the tragedy become you.

Don’t get my words twisted though: grieving is different for everyone and depression can come in all different sizes and forms. I personally just have faith in these steps that helped me bounce back to become a better me.

Ask for help.

Of course admitting to needing help can feel like you’re taking a loss. It is in fact the exact opposite. Being able to ask for help from a friend, family member, or even a counselor shows that you not only know your body but you’re also not afraid to say “hey, my brain and well-being need some TLC right now”.

Don’t Push Yourself.

You will get back to a routine eventually, but for now, stay in bed if you want to. Skip class and go get that much needed fresh air. You aren’t going to be 100% for a little while, so celebrate the small victories. You may have not gone to all your classes, the gym, or even the library; however, you made it to the grocery store to get food for dinner. Go you!

Not Everyone Will Understand.

People in your life that love you so dearly may not know how to react to your situation. They don’t love you any less and they aren’t annoyed. Have you ever been in a situation where you don’t understand something and it makes you uncomfortable? That’s all it is. What leads me to my next helpful tip…

Identify What You Need.

I found myself more emotional than ever…and for good reason. I let my emotions seep into certain aspects of my life that would have otherwise been fine aside from my current situation. For example, I couldn’t stop causing arguments. In those moments, I had to identify what exactly I needed and what I was looking for out of the argument. Most of the time, I didn’t even want to be involved in an argument i just wanted comfort or sympathy… whatever, i’m a Cancer.

Make Sure You Are Eating… A LOT!

This one is pretty self-explanatory. When going through something traumatic, your body goes into shock (for far longer than just a day). Fuel it with all the yummy stuff you need to keep your body healthy and intact!

Ride Each Wave As It Comes.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A STEP BACKWARDS–I want to scream that at the top of my lungs. This life is in a forward motion, therefore, steps backwards are nonexistent. I like to look at every day, every emotion, every moment (good or bad), as a wave. You could have a great day on Tuesday, but Wednesday could be a real kick in the ass. This does not mean you took steps backwards, it simply means you had a bad day. You are still moving forward.

Don’t Be So Damn Hard On Yourself.

You are so worthy and so great. Like I said before, you are a warrior. Warriors don’t always win, but they always fight.

“Nothing is wrong with me” my mom would say; though, I knew she was suffering. I watched my mom battle undiagnosed multiple personality disorder and depression for years. I say undiagnosed because she never went to the doctor.. she was always fine.

Until one day she wasn’t.

On the evening of August 13, 2016, I lost my mother to a mental illness. To this day I have so many questions. Why didn’t she talk to me? Was she scared? What could I have done differently? The only answer I’ll ever get is that she was sick. My mother was in an unimaginable amount of pain; a pain that I never want anyone else to feel.

It all starts with campaigns such as EburgSpeaks.

Two weeks ago there was an announcement made in my class. Hearing this announcement sent chills down my back. Though 450 million people suffer from a diagnosed mental illness, society still considers it to be a taboo to talk about. It should not be considered taboo to talk about. While some mental illnesses can be effectively treated, at relatively low cost, the starting point towards recovery is talking. For Mental Health Awareness Week a campaign was launched called ‘Eburg Speaks’ to change the way we talk about mental health. Every day throughout the week there was an event held on campus that would help raise awareness for mental health throughout the community.

An event that I attended was all about what made you feel good. Students were able to come up to a board and write what they did to take care of themselves. The board was full of words like; ‘laughter’, ‘smiling’ and ‘friendships’. That had me walk away with a genuinely good feeling.

My mothers biggest demon was feeling alone. Though she was surrounded by family, friends, love, and support, my mother still felt alone. It was her depression that made her feel alone. I can’t help but think; what if my mom had been apart of a campaign like EburgSpeaks while in college? Would knowing that she wasn’t the only one feeling the way she did feel give her the encouragement to get the help she needed? If one person struggling with a mental illness saw this campaign going on around campus and it made them feel less “crazy”, it would all be worth it.

There is a huge generation gap between me and my mother. She comes from a generation that doesn’t allow talking about one’s feelings; whereas, my generation is an open book. Millennials have been taught to embrace everyone’s differences and whether they be your highest attributes or your deepest demons. Let’s use it to our advantage and keep the conversation of mental health going.